Gregory Spears is a New York-based composer who has been commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Santa Fe Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Houston Grand Opera, Seraphic Fire, The Crossing, Volti, BMI/ Concert Artists Guild, Vocal Arts DC, New York Polyphony, The New York International Piano Competition, the JACK Quartet, and The New York Youth Symphony among others.
His latest opera “The Righteous", written in collaboration with former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith, was commissioned by Santa Fe Opera and premiered there in summer 2024. The opera was shortlisted for an International Opera Award in 2024 and was named a New York Times "Critic's Pick." Spears’ opera "Castor and Patience", also written in collaboration with Smith, was commissioned by Cincinnati Opera for their 100th Anniversary and premiered in 2022. "Castor and Patience” was also a New York Times "Critic's Pick” and noted in their year-end article Best Classical Music Performances of 2022. For the 2021-2022 season, the New York Philharmonic commissioned and premiered “Love Story,” an orchestral song cycle for countertenor and orchestra, setting another text by Smith.
Spears' opera, "Fellow Travelers", written in collaboration with Greg Pierce, premiered at Cincinnati Opera in 2016 and was subsequently produced at the Prototype Festival (NYC), The Lyric Opera of Chicago, The Minnesota Opera, Madison Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Arizona Opera, Columbus Opera, the Des Moines Metro Opera, the Seagle Festival, The Cincinnati College-Conservatory, Florida Grand Opera, Virginia Opera and Opera Parallèle. The premiere was featured in the New York Times’ The Best Classical Music of 2016, and Cincinnati Opera released a commercial CD recording in 2017.
Spears' first opera, "Paul's Case", written in collaboration with Kathryn Walat, was described as a "masterpiece" and a "gem" (New York Observer) with "ravishing music" (New York Times). It was developed by American Opera Projects and premiered by Urban Arias in 2013. The opera was restaged at the Prototype Festival in New York, and presented in a new production by Pittsburgh Opera in 2014. Spears' children's opera "Jason and the Argonauts", also written with Walat, premiered in 2016 at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and was subsequently performed for over 20,000 school children. His music is published by Schott Music and Schott PSNY.
